Regulating chord of curved plates



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

WJWHIGHAM I REGULATING CHORDS OP GURVED PLATES. No. 543,917. PatentedAug. 6, 1895.

WITNESSES (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. WHIGHAM. REGULATING CHORDS OPCURVED PLATES.

Patentad Aug. 6

INVENTOR MM hnfLm 4- mffoz- A? glam- 4 WITNESSES 4 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model!) W. WHIGHAM.

REGULATING (moms 0F UURVED PLATES. No. 543,917.

Patented Augnv 6 INVENTORV WITNESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

{No Model.)

W. WHIGHAM. REGULATING CHORDS OF GURVED PLATES.

No. 543,917. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

INVENTOR WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM WHIGHAM, OF M UNHALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

REGULATING CHORD OF CURVED PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,917, dated August6, 1895.

Application filed November 5, 1894. Serial No. 527,876. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WHIGHAM, of Munhall, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovementin Regulating the Chord 0f Curved Plates, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of tempering apparatusprovided with my improved chord-indicator. Fig. 2 is an enlarged topplan view of the central portion of the indicating or measuringapparatus, and Fig. '3 is a side elevation,partly in section, of thesame. Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the end portion of theindicator, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of thesame. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section on the line VI VI of Figs. 4.and 5, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-section on .the line VII VII ofFigs. 2 and. 3.

My invention relates to the tempering of curved plates, more especiallyarmor-plates, and is designed to provide a method of and means forcontinuously indicating changes in the chord of the curved plate.

I-Ieretofore in the spraying and cooling of plates it was impossible toretain the chord of the plate at the desired length, as this chordlengthened or shortened during the spraying, according to which side thewater was applied; and as the chord could not be measured during thecoolingmany plates must be reheated to bring their chords to the rightlength. To remedy this difficulty and to atford the operator anindicator which will show him at each moment the length of this chord"and thus inform him as to which side to apply the water is the objectattained by my invention.

In the drawings, in which similar numerals indicate like parts, 2represents a temperingpit having upper and lower spraying-tanks 3 and 4.The plate rests between the tanks upon end shoes 5, of which there arepreferably two at each end placed near the corners of the plate, whichslides thereon as it contracts or elongates in cooling. Against each endof the plate, preferably at its middle line, press the caliper-jaws 6and 7, which are secured to slides 8, which move in side recesses end ofthe rod is screwed into a larger rod 11,

against the end of which abuts a screw-spindle 15,provided at its outerend with a handwheel 15. Secured to the end of the pipe or tube .14 is acap 16, secured to a sleeve 17, screwed into a flanged cap 18, which issecured to a second cap 19 by a collar 20. The collar 19 is secured toan enlarged tube 21, having a plug 22 fitting about the rod 11, and atits outer end an innerly screw-threaded plug 23, engaging the spindle15.

Secured to the rod 11,by supports 2et,projecting upwardly through a slotin the upper side of the tube, is a scale 25, over which moves a pointer26 secured to a rod 27, which passes through bearings 28 and may be heldin adjusted position by lock-nuts 29. The bearings 28 are secured to thetube 21, so that as the tube 21 and rod 11 move relatively to each otherthe pointer moves over the scale. The tube 21 is secured to a slidingplate 30, which moves within stationary guides 81.

To hold the calipers firmly against the ends of the plate I provide thespiral spring 32, which encircles the rod 11 and is held between theplug 22 and the collar of the support 24.

The indicating portion of the apparatus,

shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is outside the pit, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation is as follows: The plate being put in position thecaliper-jaws are adjusted to bear upon its ends, as in Fig. 1. Thespraying is then begun, and by watching the movements of the pointerover the scale the amount of change of the chord is acourately seen andthe spraying regulated accordingly, the top spray lengthening the chordand the lower spray contracting it,the spraying being so gaged that thechord will be maintained uniform or brought back as nearly as possibleto its normal length at the end.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart, since, in-

the same during the spraying operation and regulating the place ofapplication of the cooling fluid to lengthen 0r shorten the chordaccording to the readings of the measuring device; substantially asdescribed. to

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

XVI'LLI AM XVI-HG I-IA M.

Witnesses:

H. M. CORWIN, W. B. CORWIN.

